By road, São José do Rio Preto and Petrópolis are about 533 miles (858 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 45 min of driving.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance by road | 533 mi (858 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-310 → SP-330 → SP-065 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-493 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the São José do Rio Preto to Petrópolis drive plays out
SP-310 (177 mi) and SP-060 (135 mi) carry about 59% of the 533 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from São José do Rio Preto to Petrópolis
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 1–178 | 177 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 178–208 | 30 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 208–209 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 209–296 | 87 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 296–297 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 297–432 | 135 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 432–482 | 50 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 482–483 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 483–512 | 29 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 512–528 | 16 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 528–533 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 402 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
What to see on the way from São José do Rio Preto to Petrópolis
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 411)
- Nature and outdoors: Itapetinga State Park (mile 263), Itatiaia National Park (mile 411), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 519)
- Museums and history: Casa da Cultura Luís Antonio Martinez Corrêa (mile 103), St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral, São Carlos (mile 128), Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Cerqueira César (mile 128), Museu Exploratório de Ciências da Unicamp (mile 214), Museum of Folklore of São José dos Campos (mile 311), Valongo Wharf (mile 512)
Casa da Cultura Luís Antonio Martinez Corrêa
A small theater, rooms for cultural workshops and historical collections from documents to artworks fill Araraquara's Casa da Cultura.
St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral, São Carlos
St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral is a Catholic church on Dom José Marcondes Homem de Melo Square in the city of São Carlos, São Paulo state.
Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Cerqueira César
Now called Museu de São Carlos, this museum opened in 1957 and holds over 7,000 items about the city, including a replica of a carriage like Dom Pedro II's from his 1886 visit.
Museu Exploratório de Ciências da Unicamp
Run by the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), the Museu Exploratório de Ciências aims to reveal the relationship between humans and nature; its headquarters design came from an international competition held in 2009.
Itapetinga State Park
Created in 2010, Itapetinga State Park (Parque Estadual de Itapetinga) protects an area of São Paulo state shared by Atibaia, Bom Jesus dos Perdões, Mairiporã and Nazaré Paulista.
Museum of Folklore of São José dos Campos
Since 1997, São José dos Campos has explored Brazilian folk traditions at the Museu do Folclore, located within the Parque da Cidade. Along with exhibitions, it runs a specialized library and a toy library.
Itatiaia National Park
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
Valongo Wharf
Built in 1811 in Rio's old port, the Valongo Wharf was where up to 900,000 enslaved Africans landed. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, its excavated stone paving is left open to view.
Taquara Municipal Nature Park
Taquara Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
When you get to Petrópolis
Imperial Museum of Brazil
Housed in the Petrópolis Imperial Palace, the former summer residence of Emperor Pedro II, the Imperial Museum sits in the historic center of Petrópolis; work on the palace began in 1845.
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Santos Dumont House Museum
Known as A Encantada, the Santos Dumont House Museum in Petrópolis is the house built in 1918 for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont on a steep hillside near the city center.
More drives to Petrópolis
- São José dos Campos to Petrópolis
- Mogi das Cruzes to Petrópolis
- São Paulo to Petrópolis
- Jundiaí to Petrópolis
- Santos to Petrópolis
- São Vicente to Petrópolis
From São José do Rio Preto to other places in Brazil
- São José do Rio Preto to Piracicaba
- São José do Rio Preto to Passos
- São José do Rio Preto to Mogi Guaçu
- São José do Rio Preto to Itu
- São José do Rio Preto to Poços de Caldas
- São José do Rio Preto to Tatuí
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from São José do Rio Preto to Petrópolis?
About 10 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 533 miles.
How far is Petrópolis from São José do Rio Preto by car?
About 533 miles (858 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the São José do Rio Preto to Petrópolis drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from São José do Rio Preto to Petrópolis?
In order: SP-310, SP-330, SP-065, SP-060, BR-116, BR-493 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from São José do Rio Preto to Petrópolis?
Closest to the road: Casa da Cultura Luís Antonio Martinez Corrêa (historic site, mile 103, 2 mi from the route); St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral, São Carlos (cathedral, mile 128, 2 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 411, 0.2 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.